Seeking to shore up support more than three years into Russia鈥檚 invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a surprise visit to London on Monday, cementing a deal to jointly produce military drones.
Zelensky met with Starmer at his Downing Street home, after earlier visiting King Charles III at Windsor Castle.
The trip comes on the eve of a NATO summit in The Hague, which Zelensky is due to attend.
According to a statement released late on Monday by Starmer鈥檚 office, the two countries will share 鈥渂attlefield technology鈥, with 鈥渄ata sets from Ukraine鈥檚 front line set to be plugged into UK production lines, allowing British defense firms to rapidly design and build, at scale, cutting edge military equipment available nowhere else in the world.鈥
鈥淚nitial agreements between defense firms in both countries are expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks, with the aim of delivering Ukraine large numbers of battle-proven drones to continue to stave off Russia鈥檚 barbaric invasion over the coming months and years鈥, the statement said.
Earlier, Starmer told Ukrainian military personnel undergoing training in the UK that he and Zelensky had held 鈥渁n excellent bilateral meeting鈥, adding that it was 鈥渞eally a privilege, a pleasure鈥 to welcome the Ukrainian leader, calling him 鈥渁 regular now at Downing Street鈥.
Starmer told the Ukrainian troops it was 鈥渞eally humbling鈥 to see their 鈥渓evel of professionalism, commitment and bravery鈥.
More than 50,000 troops have now been trained as part of the international partnership.
Zelensky said the scheme had helped 鈥渟trengthen our army鈥 and enabled Ukraine to 鈥渟urvive and fight鈥.
The UK has been one of Ukraine鈥檚 staunchest supporters since Russia invaded in early 2022, levelling rounds of sanctions against Moscow and supplying multiple packages of military aid.
Crucial summit
Starmer promised the support would continue 鈥渇or the rest of the conflict鈥 and help put Ukraine in 鈥渢he strongest possible position鈥 to negotiate a ceasefire.
Zelensky said his country was 鈥渧ery thankful to the UK for such big support of Ukraine from the very beginning of this war鈥.
The Ukrainian leader earlier travelled to Windsor Castle, where he 鈥渧isited The King and remained to luncheon鈥, Buckingham Palace said.
Zelensky is expected at the NATO summit in The Hague on Tuesday and Wednesday, where Ukraine鈥檚 allies will work 鈥渢o ensure that Ukraine is in the best possible position as we go into the next stage of this conflict鈥, according to Starmer.
NATO allies are poised to take a 鈥渜uantum leap鈥 by hiking defense spending to counter the threat of Russia, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on the eve of the two-day summit.
The alliance鈥檚 32 members will pledge to boost defense expenditure to five percent of gross domestic product, a key demand of President Donald Trump, who has long grumbled that the US pays too much for NATO.
NATO鈥檚 members have thrashed out a compromise deal to dedicate at least 3.5 percent of GDP to core military needs by 2035, and 1.5 percent to broader security-related items like cyber-security and infrastructure.